Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Third complaint over Ted Cruz’s podcast payments

Posted on July 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Three strikes and…well, nothing really. They’re just complaints and even if they’re found to be meritorious we’re a long way away from anything happening. But since I’m following this story, I’ll keep on it. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, remains … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 28

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Polling shows that two-thirds of Americans support term limits for Supreme Court justices. The same goes for judicial ethics reforms. The commissioners pointed out, as we all know, that “the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are the only members … Continue reading →

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The potential candidates so far for CD18

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron lists a few, but I can and will tell you there are others. The campaign to replace the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in Congress is playing out behind the scenes, with potential candidates calling precinct chairs … Continue reading →

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CenterPoint gets its first grilling

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure there will be more of this to come. But we need action, not just talk. Texas utility regulators grilled CenterPoint Energy executives Thursday over their performance in the days following Hurricane Beryl, when millions of Houston-area residents lost … Continue reading →

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More on the I-10 project and “No Higher No Wider”

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This story is primarily about the effect of the proposed I-10 widening/elevating would have on the Cottage Grove neighborhood, which was previously split in two by the highway’s construction in 1968. That’s all worth reading, but I’m focusing on a … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit over self-induced abortion charges can proceed

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas woman who was jailed and charged with murder after self-managing an abortion in 2022 can move forward with her lawsuit against the local sheriff and prosecutors over the case that drew national outrage before the charges were … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire names a new fire chief

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fired or retired, depends on the source. Sam Peña is out as Houston’s Fire Chief, Mayor John Whitmire said Friday. The news was first reported by KPRC. “(Peña) plans to retire,” Mayor John Whitmire told the TV station. “I thank … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Memorial service information for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chronicle. Monday: Jackson Lee will lie in state from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Houston City Hall, making the late congresswoman the second person to receive this honor. The first was Dr. Michael DeBakey, a heart surgeon, … Continue reading →

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There’s a coordinated statewide campaign? We can do that?

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Who knew? U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and the Texas Democratic Party are launching a coordinated campaign to consolidate resources for races up and down the ticket, the party and Allred campaign announced Wednesday morning. The initiative, dubbed “Texas Offense,” will … Continue reading →

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Another Paxton attempt to harass a migrant shelter halted by a judge

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

How much do you have to hate migrants to keep doing this? Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cannot depose the leader of a McAllen migrant shelter, a Hidalgo County judge ruled Wednesday. District Judge Bobby Flores’ decision shuts down attempts … Continue reading →

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Council approves Prop A rules

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Finally. On Wednesday, [Houston City Council] approved, in a 13-2 vote, a set of rules offering members two mechanisms to push forward their policy proposals. Under the new rules, members can still directly request the administration place their proposals on … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, July 26 edition

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth, we have Texans who are probably not going to be the VP candidate; the Dallas County Juvenile … Continue reading →

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Former Chief Finner says city is trying to bury HPD dropped cases issue

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Explosive stuff, with a strong pushback from the Mayor. Ever since Troy Finner suddenly retired in May, he has kept a low profile. The former Houston police chief has declined to speak with most members of the media and, aside … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Class action lawsuit #3 filed against CenterPoint

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Once, twice, three times a Beryl-related class action lawsuit related to CenterPoint’s failure to get the power back in a timely fashion. A firm representing 19 medical professionals and other business owners in Harris County filed a class action claim … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Could Montgomery County replace CenterPoint?

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see. I’m very skeptical, but I consider this to be an interesting test case of the proposition that CenterPoint’s service area could be reduced. After Beryl wiped out power in the [Creekside Park] neighborhood and the county, officials within … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 22

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance mourns the passing of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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We are starting to hear some names in CD18

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The first potential candidate to publicly acknowledge an interest in CD18 is former Mayor Sylvester Turner. Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has confirmed with KHOU 11 News anchor Len Cannon that he is “seriously considering” a run for Congresswoman Sheila … Continue reading →

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Women affected by the abortion ban banding together

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This story is equal parts heartwarming and rage-inducing. One morning last spring, Hollie Cunningham’s father was drinking coffee and watching “Good Morning America” on his patio when he saw Austin Dennard, a Dallas-area OB-GYN, on the screen. Through tears, Dennard … Continue reading →

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MLB to Austin?

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen. [W]ith expansion teams on the horizon, the MLB believes that Austin is one of a few cities that has the potential to host a team. Exactly when the league may expand is a question that hasn’t been … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

July 2024 campaign finance reports – Senate and Congress

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know there’s been a real firehose of news lately, but it’s July and that means it’s time to review campaign finance reports. This list will be a little smaller than the previous one as again there are fewer races … Continue reading →

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Another Tuesday Beryl roundup

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hurricane Beryl killed at least 22 people in the Houston area. More than half were heat-related deaths. Hurricane Beryl claimed at least 22 lives in the Houston area. Recent additions to the list include 11 people who died from hyperthermia, … Continue reading →

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Brace yourselves for the 2028 RNC in Houston

Posted on July 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, this is looming in our future. Houston isn’t taking any chances. As host of the next Republican National Convention in 2028, the city has dispatched teams to Milwaukee this week to get a handle on how to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

President Biden drops out of 2024 race

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I think we all were expecting this to happen at some point. It was still quite the jolt to see the first breaking news alert on a Sunday afternoon. Lots of people had their weekends cut short. One of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

What happens now in CD18

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron is already raising the question. Under state law, the Harris County Democratic Party’s executive committee will have until Aug. 26 to nominate a candidate to run in the Nov. 5 general election. If the committee does not choose … Continue reading →

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Behold the US High Speed Rail map

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

May I live long enough to see this happen. The U.S. High Speed Rail Association (USHSR) published a map outlining its proposal for a new 17,000-mile national high-speed rail network across the United States, which it claims will “cut our … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for July 21

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox has said he won’t vote for Donald Trump in November”. “Why Abortion Bans Keep Getting Passed, Even Though They’re Unpopular”. Softball will once again be an Olympic sport in 2028, when the Games are in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

RIP, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very sad news. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a towering political figure in Houston for decades and one of the longest-serving members in Congress, died Friday. She was 74. Earlier this year, Jackson Lee had announced that she’d been diagnosed … Continue reading →

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No more “CenterPointLe$$”

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll always have the memes. Drivers passing by the I-10 West freeway will no longer see the “CenterPointLe$$” graffiti tag. Friday morning, city workers removed the words aimed at the utility company’s response to Beryl — a hurricane that left … Continue reading →

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Maybe the Texas Lottery Commission shouldn’t be helping to pick winners

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Great followup to an earlier bonkers story about guaranteeing a Lottery win. Last spring, a small group of Texas lottery retailers received word that a single customer wanted to arrange a guaranteed lottery win. No player had matched all six … Continue reading →

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Another class action lawsuit filed against CenterPoint

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

You’re involved in this one. Michael Fertitta, son of Rockets owner and Landry’s Inc. CEO Tilman Fertitta, is one of three lawyers representing plaintiffs in a lawsuit against CenterPoint Energy in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. The lawsuit, which was … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

In case you’d been nostalgic for Y2K…

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s CrowdStrike to remind you what could have been. A massive IT outage that disturbed Microsoft customers and businesses across the world on Friday caused flight delays and cancellations at Houston airports, led to the temporary closure of Port Houston … Continue reading →

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Yeah, COVID is still out there

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not the threat it once was, thankfully, but still a threat. The arrival of summer is once again coinciding with an uptick in COVID-19 infections in Houston. Infections are on the rise for the fifth summer in a row in … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another Friday Beryl roundup

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Still lots to keep up on, so let’s get to it. CenterPoint spent $800M on mobile generators. Where are they post-Hurricane Beryl? Over the last three years, CenterPoint Energy – the company in charge of delivering power to millions of … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Still discussing the HISD bond proposal

Posted on July 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There could still be changes, if the Board of Managers decides to do something other than be the usual rubber stamp. About three weeks before its potential vote, Houston ISD’s Board of Managers held a special meeting Tuesday to question … Continue reading →

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